16th Annual Liverpool EYFS Conference 2014

Play to Learn, Learn to Play
1st, 2nd 3rd, 4th or 5th September 2014

We are proud to invite you to attend our 16th Annual Early Years Conference. The conference aims to look at the importance of playful learning and its central role in securing effective progress and outcomes for children. Each delegate will attend two workshops from national EYFS experts and there will also be opportunities to look at products from educational suppliers

“Children love to play. It’s a tremendous source of entertainment, amusement and excitement for even the smallest child (and for adults!). But play is also so much more. It promotes learning and helps build relationships, bringing parents and children closer together; it also helps develop many different kinds of skills in a growing child.
Play is vital for a growing child and also a great excuse to have fun of course.” Alice Sharp M.D.

Key Note Speaker:

Alice Sharp: Early Years Specialist, Owner of Wonderbox & MD of Experiential Play
Alice, originally a primary teacher, is now an early year’s specialist. She is privileged to travel, sharing practice ideas with early year’s centres, universities and local government. She currently works with many education authorities and departments across Britain addressing the imminent changes towards experiential learning throughout nursery and primary schools. She is the author of three books and four DVD’s and is invited to various parts of the Globe to share her ideas and practice.

Alice is the MD of Experiential Play a training company who specialise in working with staff, parents and local authorities concerned with the provision of play and stimulation for children aged birth to eight years. The company has a team of staff who pride themselves on their passion and innovation of working in this area of expertise. She also owns Wonderbox, an educational resource company whose resources are based on ideas she has tried and tested and are now sold across the globe.

Conference Details:

Date & time: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th September 2014. Registration from 8.30am; Conference 9.30am – 3.30pm

Venue: Crowne Plaza, St Nicholas Pl, Princes Dock, Liverpool L3 1QW

Cost: £165.00

How to Book:

Places are limited, so to guarantee your place please email and attach the booking form which allows you to choose workshops.

Workshop Choices

Exploring the value of Mud Kitchens in outdoor play – Jan White

“There is little more important in our physical world than earth and water and they are truly intriguing things, especially when they interact”. Jan White (2012) Making a Mud Kitchen
Mixing soil, water and a range of other natural materials has a foundational role in early childhood which has deep importance, and endless possibilities for well-being, learning and development. Through the mud kitchen, elements of much-loved indoor home corner play and baking are hugely enriched by the special nature of being outside. Mud kitchens work well all year round, and should be seen as a core component of continuous provision outdoors. With images of mud play from across the UK, Jan will provide inspiration and guidance for making a really effective and satisfying mud kitchen in any setting.

(Delegates will be working with mud, sand and water, gloves and aprons will be provided, but please were suitable clothing)

Brilliant Boys! Positive ways to support boys’ attainment – Anni McTavish

Back by popular demand! Last year’s much loved keynote has agreed to join us again. This time for an exciting workshop!

This workshop will include:

•Lots of practical ideas to support literacy and imaginative play

•Understanding some of the key differences between boys and girls learning styles

•Inspiring examples to promote physical development and the characteristics of effective learning.

Creative Enquiry Adventures - Bringing Stories to Life to Inspire Learning in PSED and CL - Rebecca Bell

This work shop will appeal to any practitioner who is intent on providing inspiring language rich learning contexts that engage the children within a creative enquiry process.

Using the riches of drama and great stories Rebecca Bell will model how to bring the world of a story to life in the classroom. Inspired by the conceptually rich themes of any good book the children engage in a learning adventure that requires them to empathise, question, investigate, solve problems, and engage in all areas of learning. This exciting approach to the Early Years framework enables learning in CL and PSED to be context driven and provokes purposeful talk and thinking, and deeper engagement.

This fully interactive workshop will leave you inspired with a range of techniques and approaches to apply in your setting that will invigorate your practice and enable creative learning outcomes for all:

Creativity is…’the application of independent and original thinking.’ Mathilda Joubert

Getting Active with Maths - How do you create and maintain environments where active learning can take place? – Vikki Holroyd, Weaverecycle

Active hands on mathematical exploration with everyday materials

Focusing on mathematics and through the exploration and construction of open ended recycled materials the session will investigate environments for numbers, counting and calculation. The practical workshops will enable practitioners to explore: enabling environments which provide exciting opportunities to play and investigate number games, order, sequence and classifying objects and quantities; the provision of age-appropriate props and open-ended resources purchased at little or no cost; ways of supporting children to be creative in identifying and devising problems and solutions.

Let's Dance! – Primed for Life Training Associates

Primed for Life joined us last year for just two days, the response from delegates was so positive we have asked for them to join us for a whole week!

“Learning, thought, creativity and intelligence are not processes of the brain alone but of the whole body” – Carla Hannaford SMART MOVES

This workshop with Primed for Life provides an opportunity to try out some fun and easy dance activities for 3 -5year olds and to explore the importance of dance and movement play in promoting development and learning across the Prime and Specific areas of the EYFS.

An active practical workshop delegates advised to wear comfortable clothing – suitable for all!!